Matera Plugged In

Mariane Matera’s Dec. 4 Back Page on our addiction to electronics was amusing and right on target. It’s funny how, when we worry about uncontrolled habits we never consider our lust for electronic gadgets which, of course, are constantly hawked to us by the pushers of consumerism.

As Matera notes, just as soon as we get used to using one device or software a new model makes ours obsolete, and the pressure to stay on the “cutting edge” pushes us to buy the next model in an endless cycle. Good for sales but not necessarily good for humanity.

But I wonder, could we be cutting our own throats by being on the cutting edge? Those of us with a smug pride over our collection of techno-toys rarely realize that we are merely on an electronic leash connected to the boss or the outlet — it matters not which. Is this really an advancement in our evolution?

Lee Carleton